Obama presses his gun proposals in Minnesota

Source: AP-Excite

By JULIE PACE

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - With his gun proposals dividing Congress, President Barack Obama conceded Monday the challenges he faces in winning support for measures ranging from criminal checks on gun buyers to an assault weapons ban. But, he declared: "We don't have to agree on everything to agree it's time to do something."

Obama argued that there's bipartisan support for universal background checks and for gun trafficking laws. But, acknowledging the political challenges he faces, he would say only that the assault weapons ban deserves a vote in Congress.

"Changing the status quo is never easy," Obama said. "This will be no exception. The only way we can reduce gun violence in this county is if the American people decide it's important, if you decide it's important - parents and teachers, police officers and pastors, hunters and sportsmen, Americans of every background stand up and say, 'This time, it's got to be different.'"

Before his remarks, Obama held a roundtable discussion at the Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center, speaking with law enforcement and community leaders.

President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks about his gun violence proposals, Monday, Feb. 4, 2013, at the Minneapolis Police Department's Special Operations Center in Minneapolis, where he outlined his plan before law enforcement personnel. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

1. NYT - In Minneapolis, Obama Presses Case for Tougher Gun Laws

(snip)

In a city once called “Murder-apolis” because of its homicide rate in the 1990s, the president cited its successful gun violence prevention efforts as evidence that new national laws are needed to reduce the number of shootings across the country.

“The only way we can reduce gun violence in this country is if the American people decide it’s important,” Mr. Obama said, standing in front of a sea of police officers and sheriff’s deputies at the Minneapolis Police Department Special Operations Center.

Mr. Obama has called for Congress to pass a series of measures, including a ban on the manufacture and sale of new assault weapons, limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines and an expansion of the system of criminal background checks that currently covers only about 60 percent of gun sales.

(snip)

The focus on background checks reflects a broad political calculation in Washington that there is more public support for requiring background checks than for limits on guns and ammunition. A recent New York Times/CBS News survey found that 92 percent of those polled supported broader background checks.

The same survey found that 53 percent support a ban on some semiautomatic weapons, and that 63 percent would support limits on magazines.

8. "In a city once called “Murder-apolis” because of its homicide rate in the 1990s,

the president cited its successful gun violence prevention efforts as evidence that new national laws are needed..."

I wish I knew exactly to what this sentence is refering. Minnesota has a law that no local gun laws can be more strict than state gun laws. The reduction in gun crime in Minneapolis since the mid 1990s had little to do with new gun control laws.

2. Holding a vote would create a record of every member's opinion, or refusal to state one

3. My Prediction

If it actually comes to a vote.
1) The bill will be written in such a way to be indefensible.
2) Republican, being republicans, will vote against it.
3) Democrats will be more strategic. Those due for election will in 14 will look at the make up of their district and vote accordingly. Those not due for election will most likely vote for.
In any even before the vote is even thought about they will most likely have counted and can be sure it will fail